Claimed, gathered and sent

This morning I thought I'd be on my way to Deep Creek Lake, MD to preach tomorrow. At least that was the plan. I was very excited about having Ray with me so I could show him around Garrett County where I spent the Jan. term. That was my plan. However, I got sick and I am just beginning to feel better. So, a classmate will be spending the time at Deep Creek Lake. Our plans and God's are not always the same. Proverbs says this so well, "The human mind may devise many plans,but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established" (Prov 19:21). I think I'm beginning to get the idea. Thursday I had my final interview for next year's internship. Prior to the beginning of the whole interview process, I was quite nervous. I knew where I wanted to go and hoped I would go there. I had eight interviews. Of the eight, I would be happy to go to six of the eight sites and can see how God could both use me and work on me in those circumstances. The great thing about th

After two back to back snowstorms and the campus not being completely dug out, we wondered what would be happening with the Internship Matching Workshop, aka Speed Dating. It is a time for prospective interns to interview with numerous pastors and lay people over a day and a half. Well, that's normally the way it works. But with the weather and many flights canceled, we are having an extended version of internship matching interviews for those that were unable to make it. When all the results are in from pastors and students, it is then worked out who will go where next year for internship. Pastors and students each have input, but neither makes the match. That's up to the wisdom of the Field Education Office and the Holy Spirit. So please keep all of us prospective interns in your prayers as well as the folks that will be collating all the info and finally making the decisions. LTSG pictures http://www.ltsg.edu/campus/blizzardsof2010.htm

Ezekiel 34 hit very close to home for me. A few weeks ago, we heard of a pastor friend, who had married us, and a situation he was involved in. What the repercussions will be, only God knows, but it brought me up short, reminding me of the need for faithfulness in fellowship with Christ so I can be a faithful shepherd to whatever flock I am responsible for now and in future ministry. Good and godly leadership comes from the inside out. Leaders can only lead based on their values and who they are. I do not want to be as the shepherds Ezekiel addresses, indicted by God as faithless, careless shepherds. Blenkinsopp aptly notes, “Pastoral office is a response to needs that call out for selfless dedication and unremitting solicitude,” [1] leadership being a sacred trust. Leaders must be concerned for the “least of these” (Mt 25) . The issue is not orthodoxy or orthopraxy, but compassionate care, as modeled throughout Jesus’ ministry. It is all about God and his people, not about us

For those of us that worship at liturgical churches that use the lectionary, today is Good Shepherd Sunday. This seems especially apropos since in my undergrad Prophets class, my exegesis was on Ezekiel 34 which addresses shepherds who did not look after the sheep, but only cared for themselves. Today's scripture readings were Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10. God certainly delights in driving a point home to us, doesn't he? The passages from Ps 23 and John 10 went through my mind frequently while studying Ezekiel 34 and reading others' posts. As always, the Lord models the way for us and enables us to follow. Here are some contrasts. Bad Shepherds Good Shepherd Like having no shepherd at all. God the shepherd. Feed selves. Feed sheep with good pasture. Did not strengthen the weak. Strengthens weak. Did not heal the sick. Heals sick.